Death's Shadow Master
by Lucicelo
Summary: Seiichiro Tatsumi pondered on his afterlife with the inclusion of the bureau's infamous Tsuzuki siblings. Part 3 of Guardian!Ruka


_A/N: I felt like writing Tatsumi's thoughts on Ruka Tsuzuki in the Guardian!Ruka universe. There is no definite timeline of Tatsumi and Tsuzuki's partnership as far as I know. I thought it would be fun to describe Ruka having different jobs in the bureau. I'm sure she wouldn't settle for one place for long before trying something new._

 _I've opened a tip jar at Ko-fi! The link is on my tumblr!_

 _-Lucicelo_

* * *

Seiichiro Tatsumi met Ruka Tsuzuki during his first week of training.

He stood in a crowd of fresh faced applicants, limited in number due to the lack of open positions. Waiting on the instructors to walk into the room, seasoned guardians stayed in their own group, making jabs at the new meat. He heard one commenting on his stiff appearance. An old descriptor of himself during his lifetime where it ceased to bother him. Nothing new. He ignored their words. No use entering in an altercation with his future co-workers.

While he agreed to himself not to engage in arguments, he saw the beginnings of a fight and stepped back. The escalation grew between two particular people, sneers in place, they exchanged choice words. Before the fight broke out, the instructors made their appearance, prompting an immense silence which spread throughout the groups. Two women and two men settled in the front, gazing at them over their shoulders while engaged in a quick pow wow.

A petite young woman with long flowing chestnut hair, eyes of the same color, sporting a knee-length dress, interacted with his future master. The usual stern and no nonsense man, laughed along with her as the other guardians joined in. Her attire seemed out of place, he remembered himself thinking. After all, the rest of the instructors wore clothing made for messiness and destruction. She appeared weak in comparison.

He chastised himself for such thoughts. A guardian of death used spiritual powers and investigative skills for the majority of their cases. In the rarity that physical force came into play, one of the duo helped their partner out of a sticky situation. These quips came from Chief Konoe when he described a few cases to paint a picture of a guardian of death.

The job read more as a detective than anything else.

Once the introductions came along, the petite woman piped up. "I'm the Bureau's oldest guardian in the Summons Section, Ruka Tsuzuki, pleased to meet you all!" Ruka smiled, dimples formed on her cheeks, amplifying her looks.

Afterwards, the trainers separated to different areas of the room. Ruka motioned the newer recruits to follow her. Settling in a large section of the room, she suggested to place a fair distance between one another to prevent any injuries. He followed her orders. Stopping to her left side, he heard one of the newbies whisper about their instructor.

Turning his gaze towards Ruka, she appeared not to have heard their commentary. She explained a variety of spells used in their field of work. Her tender stayed on her face. Later on in their lesson, she ended up using these newbies as examples for her instructions.

Ruka demonstrated their first set of fuda spells. Simple incantations where she emphasized pooling their spiritual powers to activate the initial glow. She handed them fuda paper and instructed them to begin. He managed to summon a messenger bird while others caused a small explosion somewhere in the vicinity. She corrected the ones who didn't activate any spells.

Once the physical training came into play, Ruka stepped to the side and let her co-workers spar with them. Tatsumi bemoaned anything physical, but kept his complaints to himself. Ruka left to help seasoned guardians with their spell work.

From his peripheral, he saw Ruka slam one of her fellow guardians onto the floor. Surrounding guardians bellowed in laughter, providing jokes which made their sparring partners break into their own means of amusement.

* * *

Chief Konoe placed him with Ruka's younger brother, Asato Tsuzuki. A tall young man with amethyst eyes that brought one's attention onto them without question. He did double take when he first saw the photograph included in his file. From the photo, he saw the similarities between the Tsuzuki siblings. In Tsuzuki's file, his power level exceeded everyone in the Bureau, including his older sister who arrived before him.

Before he met Tsuzuki in their office, Ruka Tsuzuki met him in the morning. She wore a simple summer dress which stopped at her knees. He assumed a string of threats or something far worse coming from her. From his experience, older siblings tended to protect their siblings despite their gender with a fierceness which rivaled a parent.

Nothing of the sort happened.

She bowed and put out her hand, waiting for him to shake it. A gentle smile graced her delicate features. Mentally cursing his sudden lack of manners, he bowed and then grasped her dainty hand. He imagined his mother scolding him for his slip up.

"Welcome to the team, Tatsumi-san." Ruka squeezed his hand. "Here's hoping you're here for years to come."

He took his hand back and pushed up his glasses. "Does the department have a high influx of new guardians?"

Ruka mused. "Depends on the season, we've gone a few decades without a new guardian in the Summons Section. I'm not sure about the other sections. Before I forget, Chief Konoe wants you to meet Asato in his office instead of the Summons Section offices."

"Good thing you intercepted me just in time." Tatsumi nodded his head in gratitude. "Thank you for informing me."

"No problem. See you around, Tatsumi-san." With that, Ruka dismissed herself and continued on her way toward the offices.

* * *

He noted how no one, not even the Chief, called Tsuzuki by his first name. In fact, Tsuzuki corrected anyone who attempted to do so. His happy demeanor lessened a bit whenever someone called him using his first name. In contrast, Ruka informed everyone at their training session not to address her with her last name.

Such strange siblings.

Decorum pushed politeness when addressing someone not close to them. He knew little of Ruka Tsuzuki to warrant using her first name. It seemed impolite to do so. Many awkward exchanges happened because of this issue. He coughed into his hand to gain her attention, garnering an amused smile from Ruka.

After one such occasion, Tsuzuki assumed he contained feelings for his older sister. His hesitation in addressing her, painted a different picture to certain eagle eyed individuals. He shut down the rumor before it began circulation.

This rumor stuck to him for decades to come.

Upon commenting on the name issue, Chief Konoe waved it off, citing personal preferences. Nothing more, nothing less. It meant nothing more than Ruka and Tsuzuki desiring a certain name for themselves. Before Tsuzuki arrived on the scene, Ruka was addressed as Tsuzuki.

The transition made sense. Having two Tsuzuki's on staff confused people and their reputations differed from one another.

He remembered how another new guardian commented on Tsuzuki's amazing cooking skills, seasoned guardians laughed at him, wondering if the guy had no taste buds to speak of. Affronted, the person clarified it was Ruka Tsuzuki _not_ Asato Tsuzuki.

For some reason, the naming situation kept bugging him enough to ask Tsuzuki himself.

During one of their stakeouts, he agreed to settle in a cafe. Best to have Tsuzuki recharged with his pastries while he ate a small salad from the menu. Tsuzuki sat across from him, nursing a cup of coffee, filled with cream and sugar. His large slice slice of apple pie, piping hot, remained untouched on the table.

"I have a question." Taking a chance, Tatsumi asked him. "Do you not like others calling you Asato?"

Tsuzuki laughed it off, the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'm used to only having Ruka calling me by my first name. No offense, but I'd rather keep it that way." He offered him a bite of his pastry which Tatsumi denied with a polite no.

Changing the subject, Tatsumi spoke about their mission plan. "Anyway, we should infiltrate the area through this location in order to get near our target. Sound good?"

* * *

Tsuzuki chattered on about different topics, but when it came to his old life, he changed the subject through smooth transition. Almost unnoticeable to inattentive ears, but Tatsumi did the same about his own past. He saw through his ruse. After an awkward exchange in the beginning, an unspoken agreement formed between them to avoid such conversations.

One day during writing reports in the afternoon, the topic of the Meiji Era came about. Tsuzuki spoke about a variety of topics. Branching into the obscure, Tsuzuki's eyes filled with nostalgia about his life back in that time.

Pausing in his report, Tatsumi listened with rapture and unrelenting interest. Hearing someone talk about a different time period always perked his full attention. The Tsuzuki siblings beamed at the opportunity to dispute old misconceptions of their time.

Tatsumi thought he saw a twinkling of recurring sadness in those purple eyes. The over so cheerful man smiled even bigger during these instances. Not wanting to upset him through questions, he waited until Tsuzuki brought up these topics on his own.

"No one believes us when we talk about the time period we're from. I remember this one young man who thought I recently died. I think my clothes speak for themselves." Tsuzuki commented while an open window brought in a gust of cherry blossom petals into the room. "I assume our manner of speaking changed throughout the years to integrate into this job better."

"I see." Tatsumi set down his pen, giving Tsuzuki his undivided attention. "I admit on assuming the same. Tsuzuki-san, your sister doesn't seem like one of the oldest guardians on staff. Then again, her size makes people underestimate her."

"I wouldn't tell Ruka that to her face if I were you. She takes pride in being the oldest out of everyone here. Well, the second oldest after the chief of course. You'd think she would care more about appearing young, but she doesn't care much about such notions."

Tatsumi's lips quirked up. "This happened before I take it?"

"Oh yes." Tsuzuki snickered. "The poor kid hasn't recovered from the verbal lashing Ruka laid on him. Traumatized him out of the gentle and cute exterior of her appearance."

"I admit to having heard unsavory comments about her during my training. They have since transferred to Okinawa if I remember correctly."

Tsuzuki sighed. "Just call her Ruka, you're making things difficult for yourself."

Tatsumi narrowed his eyes. "It's improper of me to do so."

Tsuzuki sing songed. "Difficult."

"I'd rather not entertain the thought of a social faux pas." Tatsumi signed his name at the bottom of the report and set it aside.

"You're doing that through grunting at her like a caveman. It's a wonder why people still think you have a crush on her."

" _You're_ the one who _spread_ the rumor!"

"Semantics." Tsuzuki waved his concerns away. "In any case, isn't it impolite to not call someone by their preferred name?" Tatsumi arched a well sculpted brow. Tsuzuki changed the topic. "I have to say, I'm impressed at this current time period."

"Interesting. How so?"

Tsuzuki tapped his pen against his desk, sighing out. "Times have changed in the world of the living. I noticed on our last stake out—it's such an the immense difference. Back then, I never thought such discoveries would benefit humankind. No one dies from consumption anymore. At the very least, no one is in immense pain."

"Consumption? Ah, you mean tuberculosis."

"Yup." Tsuzuki stared out of the window, watching the cherry blossom petals fall down. "A death sentence back in the day. Funerals happened multiple times a week. It seemed like there was no end in sight, no one was spared from developing the disease. At least, no one in poverty lived after they caught it as far as I knew."

"I see." Tatsumi followed Tsuzuki's line of sight. As he commented in a different conversation, they were spoiled with such a lovely view all year round. "I understand you in a way, all seems hopeless during hard times. You either buckle under the pressure or move past it."

Tsuzuki inquired. "What if all seems lost?"

"Then, you find a reason to keep on living." Turning his gaze back toward Tsuzuki, his partner fiddled with the leather strap of his left hand.

He thought Tsuzuki was _right_ - _handed_.

* * *

During one of the Summons Section's slow days, Tatsumi concealed his boredom well. Without Tsuzuki in the office, who was injured from their last case, his day dragged on slower than usual. Tsuzuki tended to distract him from the tediousness of paperwork with his antics. He sort of missed the goofy guy.

A few people lingered in the office, speaking to one another and suggesting solutions to problems in their cases. When one made interpersonal connections to other guardians in other sections, it brought on new companions to offer their help in cases. Tsuzuki tended to have multiple friends who jumped at the chance to give their help. Despite their concerns over Tsuzuki's ability to wreck places during his cases, people loved basking in the man's company.

Glancing around the room, he saw Ruka Tsuzuki sitting on her own desk, finishing a conversation with one of the senior guardians. The woman decided on reincarnation, one of the many endings for guardians, eager in the thoughts of her new life. The woman shared a hug with Ruka and waved at everyone on the way out the room.

Ruka broke the tedious atmosphere when she addressed him. "Why haven't you gone into the shikigami world?"

"Excuse me?" Tatsumi inquired.

A fellow guardian passed them while snickering. "Trying to convert another one, Ruka-san? You're fierce in getting _everyone_ to attain a shiki."

Ruka looked at the guy with a grin. "Maybe? I love talking about shikigami after all."

Tatsumi cut in before they continued on their conversation. "How did you know?" Their fellow guardian shrugged his shoulders and left the office.

She turned her attention back onto Tatsumi. "Kannuki-san would have told me if you went through the gate. She tends to keep a tight record of everyone. This is if you use the Southern gate of course."

"Ah."

"I'm sure you have seen Suzaku during your last case. She's such a vivacious sort of woman." Ruka mused. "Byakko is another one that Asato tends to summon often. Many of his shikigami tend to be too big to use in cases."

Tatsumi arched a brow. "There are _larger_ shikigami?"

"Yes." Ruka fiddled with her jewelry on her wrists. "My largest shiki is Mayumi. Kind of why I use Rakurai whenever the time arrives for backup. Although, Mikio is more enthusiastic whenever I summon him near water. One of Asato's shiki, houses all of them so I can visit them in one spot whenever I can."

Tatsumi peered down at her wrist and noticed different well worn bracelets. The newest looking one, a pearl bracelet, showed minor scratches. Throughout his interactions with Ruka, he never paid much attention to her accessories or any minor details about her. He focused his attention onto his work and nothing else.

"I see you noticed my bracelets." Ruka presented the variety of bracelets on her wrist. "All three of my shikigami gave me mementos. Mayumi started by giving me a tassel with multiple beads from her armor. She was my first shiki. Rakurai, my second, prepared a non-conductive thin metal band for my wrist. Mikio, my newest shikigami, fished out pearls from one of the many oceans in the shikigami world."

Stunned, Tatsumi inspected the jewelry for a second time. "They seem...well used."

Ruka touched them with a gentle hand. "I placed a spell onto them once they began getting old. Nothing remains in pristine condition forever and I'd rather preserve them for as long as I can." She chuckled. "It's adorable how much thought they put into their gifts. Then again, Rakurai and Mikio might have gotten jealous of Mayumi's _claim_ over me."

"Do _all_ shikigami do this?"

"Not exactly." Ruka pondered a bit before she continued. "At least, I never thought to ask other guardians. Why? Interested?" A twinkle developed in her eyes. "The process of finding your match is so easy. There's no pain involved. Although, you have to pass a test for you to befriend one."

Seeing her enthusiasm for the subject, Tatsumi saw a woman who loved her shikigami. Evidence on her wrist and in her longing voice, she saw these shikigami as extensions of herself. She never addressed them as weapons or monsters.

Tatsumi broke the news of his disinterest. "Honestly, searching for a shikigami is not something I am interested in pursuing."

He never thought about having a shikigami under his belt. Even after hearing about Tsuzuki's twelve shikigami, the immense power needed to acquire them, he held no desire in wandering through dimensions to attain one.

Ruka paused in her spiel, her eyebrows furrowed, resignation laced her tone. "I see. No use pushing an issue onto someone that doesn't want to hear it. It doesn't do any good for any genuine bond to form when it's forced." Her lips quirked up. "Then, what are you interested in? Because I know plenty of guardians who are willing to take on an apprentice."

Taking a leap of chance, Tatsumi inquired. "There's apprenticeships?"

* * *

Tatsumi developed a working system with Tsuzuki. Once Tsuzuki gained his morning pastry, his energy skyrocketed, making him want to complete his work. Also, it helped to have Ruka check in on them whenever Tsuzuki tried skimping out of reports. The mere mention of Ruka coming around the office prompted Tsuzuki to get back to work.

Tatsumi admitted to himself that he tended to use Ruka's name during the busiest days. A low blow, but their work finished faster through this method. No matter his reservations, he'd use any excuse to kick co-workers out of their lazy state.

Opening the door, Tatsumi's attention stayed on their paperwork. "Tsuzuki, we need to finish these—" Looking up, he paused in shock at the sight before him.

Tsuzuki clamped his hand onto his wrist as redness seeped between his fingers, droplets falling onto the floor. A messenger bird flew around the room, illuminating the twilight hour pouring through the open windows. It shot past him, disappearing through the hallway in lightning speed.

Tatsumi accessed the situation, trying hard not to come to the obvious conclusion entering his mind. Peering down onto the floor, a razor blade gleamed under the lights, speckled with red splatters. The immense shame etched into Tsuzuki's face, clenched Tatsumi's heart. Such an expression didn't suit Asato Tsuzuki.

Tatsumi almost dropped his reports, but he caught them in time. He imagined a reprimand from the creasing of his fingers digging into the folder to prevent it from falling on the floor. Chief Konoe's secretary _hated_ messy paperwork.

They kept staring at one another, neither one moving a muscle.

Tears trickled down Tsuzuki's face as he fell to his knees.

Tatsumi broke from his stupor and took a step forward.

All of a sudden, Ruka ran past him, entering the room. Catching her breath, she went toward her brother. Showing no hesitation, Ruka dropped onto the floor. Bringing Tsuzuki into her arms, Tsuzuki latched onto her body. Almost swallowing her with his tremendous height. Tsuzuki's body wrecked into shivers as he let out a heartbreaking sob.

Tatsumi thought he heard Tsuzuki apologize to his sister, but the awkwardness of the situation made him take a few steps back, giving them much needed air.

Konoe wrote _nothing_ about this in Tsuzuki's files.

Unless, Tsuzuki concealed his inner turmoil from everyone. Tsuzuki's easy going grin fooled everyone into thinking that he experienced nothing out of the ordinary. As he thought about it, every single one of them concealed secrets, strong enough to follow them into the grave.

Holding his files to his chest, Tatsumi checked around the area. Finding no one wandering into view, his heart rate lessened down to a normal speed. Still, his panic coursed through his body. He turned his head toward the room when felt someone staring at him.

Ruka stared over her shoulder, a silent plea came through her face, begging him not to reveal this secret. Her hands rubbed her brother's back in soothing circles.

Once he nodded, her shoulders slumped in relief. She dismissed him with a nod. As he closed the door, Ruka returned her attention toward Tsuzuki. Her humming calmed Tsuzuki down as his arms tightened around her body. An evident blood stain formed in the back of her dress.

Tsuzuki choked out. "I'm so sorry. _I'm_ _sorry_ , nee-san. I-It just happened."

Ruka paused in her humming, yet, her hands kept on massaging his back. "You're doing your best, Asato, that's all that matters. Do you want to go home?"

"B-But, Tatsumi, he-"

"I'm certain that he won't mind." Ruka ran her fingers through his hair. "I'll let Chief Konoe know we're going home. Okay?"

* * *

To the surprise of the department, Ruka Tsuzuki announced her retirement from her guardian post. The extension of their bewilderment came from Tsuzuki's lack of reaction. Whenever someone asked Tsuzuki about Ruka's retirement, he smiled, voicing his happiness at her decision. Odd for someone so _attached_ to his sister.

Days later, the department threw a small party which turned into buffet style because of Tsuzuki's black hole of a stomach. Thinking ahead, extra food arrived in the middle of the party. This event spread throughout the sectors, bringing in a larger turnabout than expected. As a popular employee, many sought her out to give her an embrace during the party. A majority of the sectors put aside little time before returning to work.

When she arrived, wearing a simple pale purple dress which stopped at her ankles, everyone congratulated her on her decades of service. The immense love expressed throughout the various guardians didn't surprise Tatsumi. The Tsuzuki siblings brought smiles and laughter to others. As the oldest one, Ruka got to know everyone when they first arrived. She became one of the first guardians the newbies met after the Chief.

Tatsumi stood to the side, observing the perimeter with a flute of champagne in hand. He nodded toward Ruka's direction when she locked eyes with him. She grinned, waving at him before turning her attention onto another guardian.

He tried wrapping his head around Ruka's sudden resignation. Knowing of the bond between the Tsuzuki siblings, it seemed out of character for her to leave her brother behind as a guardian. He didn't dare ask Tsuzuki about any intimate details or commented on her sudden retirement. After the last encounter, an awkwardness developed between the two of them.

They resumed a somewhat normal relationship, but the incident remained in the back of his mind. From the messenger bird and manner in which Ruka ran into the room, this happened more often than he thought. He tried not to judge Tsuzuki in his actions. Knowing little to their personal backgrounds, something effected Tsuzuki to an extent which followed him into the grave. Since Ruka died first, she might have seen this event or multiple events which brought them closer together.

At one of the buffet tables, Tsuzuki piled more food onto his plate, bringing some whining from the guardian behind him in line. Tsuzuki grinned and added one last side dish before stepping out of line. He hurried over to a table, digging into the delicious food.

Chief Konoe made his presence known and announced to the group. "Ruka is not leaving the Judgment Bureau." Confused mutters spread throughout the room, Ruka nodded to Konoe before he resumed. "She's becoming my secretary. Higurashi resigned his post, opting for reincarnation!"

Tatsumi contained his initial reaction of a slacked jaw. Tsuzuki cheered beside him, whooping while pumping his fist at Ruka's change of position. Now, _this_ news made a lot more sense.

Higurashi lifted a glass, nodding at the jam packed room of people. Applause went throughout the room as he sipped his glass.

"She will begin her post on Monday. In the meantime, you'll continue on bringing in reports to Higurashi until Sunday afternoon." Konoe ended. "Enjoy the party everyone! Tsuzuki leave food for the rest of us!"

* * *

"You're not going into the shikigami world?! Why?" Asato burst through the room, gulping in air as he collected himself in front of Tatsumi's desk.

Tatsumi paused in his writing, looking up at Tsuzuki, he answered. "No. I'm staying here to finish our reports that you managed to put aside for far _too long_."

Once he heard about the shikigami world and its residents from Ruka, the topic sparked no remote interest in him. Sure, he saw the potential of having back up as a last resort for his cases, but he began an apprenticeship with his master. Ruka introduced them herself, beating another guardian who eyed the apprenticeship. Having met the guy, Tatsumi realized the expectations of his master and went to work in the basics of shadow control.

In his opinion, a shadow master didn't rely on shikigami. His own shadow turned into his personal back up.

Tsuzuki pouted. "You're just going to let me go all alone?"

"To my knowledge, you're the only guardian with twelve shikigami. You're not alone in that world. I'm sure you don't need an escort to keep an eye on you." Tatsumi tilted his head to the side with a smile. "Unless, you need constant _supervision_?"

Tsuzuki pouted. "Well, you're no fun. I wanted to introduce you to everyone."

"Have you introduced your old partners to your shiki?"

Tsuzuki nodded his head with a smile. "A few of my old partners met them while they got their own shiki. We've been together for years so it was high time for you to visit. In all honesty, visiting the shikigami world is a small vacation for me."

"Our work will pile up if I tag along." Tatsumi insisted. "I can stay behind. Besides, my apprenticeship gives me an ability where I don't need shiki. In any case, I'm just not interested. I have expressed my opinions to your sister when she spoke about shiki."

"Oh alright, I won't force you to come with me."

Tatsumi signed his name on the report. "You're taking your paperwork along with you, Tsuzuki."

"Why?! It'll get destroyed when I'm there! Don't look at me like that! Suzaku and Touda fight all the time. I won't be able to get any work done! Tatsumi!"

* * *

Tatsumi met up with Tsuzuki in one of the many empty hallways of the bureau. Replaying his words inside of his mind, he tried thinking of the best way to tell Tsuzuki about his decision. Despite the good work relationship, he thought about expanding his horizons for months. The lack of open spaces kept him from going along with his plans.

Once Tsuzuki arrived, Tatsumi breathed in and out. He began his message. As he relayed his points, he watched Tsuzuki's smile drop. He kept on going, trying to lessen the blow. Remembering the ways Tsuzuki's other partners left him, he didn't want to leave on a sour note. He enjoyed the friendship with Tsuzuki, but their working partnership didn't mesh well.

Once he finished, Tsuzuki began talking with a forced smile. "Oh...well good luck." Tsuzuki rubbed the back of his neck and hunched his shoulders. "It was fun while it lasted. I'll see you around, okay?"

Tatsumi winced.

Tsuzuki's voice _cracked_.

When Tsuzuki departed, Tatsumi managed to catch his trembling lips and crestfallen face. Despite Tsuzuki attempting to keep a tough front, he showed his emotions to the world.

* * *

Walking into Chief Konoe's office, Tatsumi's stomach plunged at the sight of Ruka Tsuzuki. He forgot about Ruka's occupation as Chief Konoe's secretary. As he closed the door behind him, she set down a cup of tea in front of the Chief while he signed paperwork.

Konoe looked up, motioning him closer. "Tatsumi-san."

"Chief." Tatsumi told him, he nodded in Ruka's direction.

She pursed her lips, trying to hide her smile. "I see you don't waste time in turning in reports."

"I'm not here to turn in reports." Tatsumi breathed out. "I'm here to relinquish my post as Tsuzuki's partner."

Konoe managed to hold in a groan. "Not _another_ one." He muttered about drinking sake or pills to stray away his oncoming migraine.

Ruka stood aside Konoe, eyes widened in shock. "You're serious."

"Yes."

Ruka asked him. "Were there problems?"

"No." Tatsumi shook his head. "We spoke to one another and we agreed on going on separate paths."

Konoe rubbed his temples. "There's a problem with your request."

Tatsumi inquired. "What?"

"There are no openings. Single guardians or partner positions are filled." Konoe hissed in pity. "You picked a horrible time in quitting. Can't you spare another year? Any time before we can find anything to put you in?"

Ruka suggested, "Why doesn't Tatsumi-san take my job?"

"What?" Chief Konoe and Tatsumi uttered in unison.

"He seems perfect for the job. I've seen his well written reports and the manner in which he handles the other rowdier guardians. Tatsumi-san might flourish in an office environment." Ruka set down a folder of reports on Konoe's desk. "You always said that I did my best on the field, Chief."

Leaning against his chair, Chief Konoe rubbed his chin. "Hmm...I don't know. I have no complaints in having you as my secretary. You handle everything real well and without problems." He teased her with a weary smile. "Are you tired of me already?"

Ruka snickered. "If I was tired of you, I would have transferred into another area, better yet, reincarnated. Not that I'm doing that anytime soon, I love the Summons Section. Everyone has become a part of my family." She crossed her arms in front of her body and added in. "I'm sure Asato's damage reports will lower _significantly_ if I'm his partner."

Tatsumi frowned at her claim. He did his best in controlling the situation whenever they went on cases. Planning out different scenarios and solutions, he kept them in mind whenever they started an investigation. Although, everything wasn't set in stone and surprises popped up. Without trying, Tsuzuki alone caused the most mayhem out of all the guardians.

Tatsumi opened his mouth. "Chief, I-"

Konoe slammed his hand on his desk and nodded his head. "Done. Call Tsuzuki and get the paperwork done."

Ruka nodded her head. "I'll write them up and have him sign them." She turned to Tatsumi, wincing the realization that she overstepped Tatsumi's decision in the matter. "I'm so sorry. Ah...will you accept the offer? If you say no, we can always find another guardian to take my place. I have to warn you, it will take a while for you to find another partner at this point."

Seeing the drawback of not accepting, Tatsumi saw the opportunity of an immediate job. No use waiting for another partner to appear. He informed her. "No, no, I'll take on the mantle."

Konoe said. "Good. Ruka-san can show you how she handles the intricate details of the job on another date. We still have to get through a mountain of paperwork this weekend. No use overwhelming you and losing some of our work in the process."

Looking at the time, Ruka announced in happiness. "Lunchtime!"

"Thank the afterlife! I'm starving." Konoe let out a deep sigh. "Good thing I brought cold noodles for lunch. The hot weather is horrible today."

Tatsumi watched the easy-going attitude of Ruka Tsuzuki and the Chief. Keeping to himself, he didn't pay attention to the interpersonal relationships between co-workers. Seeing the two of them speak, showed their tight bond.

"Well, I'll be leaving now. Asato has to find out the good news." Ruka clapped her hands together. "I'll you see you after lunch, Chief. Tatsumi-san."

Tatsumi said. "Good bye."

Ruka walked out of the office, leaving Konoe and Tatsumi inside of the room.

"Before you leave," Konoe told Tatsumi. "Start calling her Ruka, don't think I haven't see you coughing into your hand when you try to address her." He winked at Tatsumi. "It brings a layer of truth to the rumor that you're _crushing_ on Ruka-san."

The Chief _knew_ about the _rumor_.

Face red in embarrassment, Tatsumi scrounged to find a way to salvage the conversation. Nothing popped into his mind. He settled with telling the Chief. "O-Of course, Chief, I'll start doing that."

"Good."

* * *

After a lengthy discussion of the process, Ruka left Tatsumi in his own devices. Informing him to send her a messenger bird if he got stuck on an aspect of the job, she left notes on shortcuts to make the work go faster. She packed up her knickknacks in a box, leaving everything clean for his use. In the event that she couldn't arrive, she suggested an alternative, talking to Chief Konoe to get a quicker response.

On his first day, Tatsumi picked up where Ruka left off in her paperwork. From the slight organization style, he revamped the system to his own taste. Ruka did well enough, but he saw flaws in her system where papers piled up in certain areas of their department.

Adding his own personal touches to his area, he stocked toiletries necessary for himself to feel comfortable. His coffee mug sat on his right side, complete with a coaster, and his office supplies stayed in one spot.

Satisfied with his desk, he sat down and began working. After a pile of papers, his eyebrow twitched, annoyed at the easy grammar mistakes he read on the reports. With a glint on his eye, he snatched up a red pen and corrected every jarring mistake. He sent these back to the specific guardians, red marks and comments in the margins, he told them to remake them before sending them back in.

To his relief, a majority didn't give him a headache, making his morning easier. He filed them and sent the papers to the right place. Once lunch rolled around, his stomach growled loud enough where he justified eating his dessert before his food.

The second day brought in confused guardians who clutched their red penned reports in their hands. Assuming they received no memo of Ruka's switch, they walked into a complete surprise. Tatsumi hid his laughter at the shocked reactions he received from other guardians when they saw him.

The ever popular Ruka Tsuzuki returned to the field without informing anyone.

* * *

The Tsuzuki siblings dominated the Kyushu sector.

A decade of successful cases brought a new work morale which pushed guardians to strive for better results. The stories of their best cases were told to the rare newbie who joined their sector, giving a good example of a successful partnership. Ruka and Tsuzuki were well in sync where their own shikigami worked alongside each other. A rarity. Shikigami clashed due to element and animal forms, making teamwork an issue when defeating an opponent.

The damages on Tsuzuki's part lessened to a minuscule amount, reports came in on time, and no complaints came from anyone. Ruka's assurance of low property damage blossomed into fruition. Their department had an actual decent budget for the first time in years.

Chief Konoe rubbed the success in his rival's face whenever they met outside office spaces. The old migraines disappeared, leaving the usual stress that came with the job position. The love Konoe felt for the Tsuzuki siblings showed through the flow of pride while complimenting the duo.

Any awkwardness Tsuzuki felt for Tatsumi, after the partnership resignation, evaporated once he began his secretarial post. Beaming at the sight of him, Tsuzuki bounced toward him whenever they saw each other. They linked back into an easy work friendship which transcended out of work.

Chief Konoe beamed at the sight of Ruka and Tsuzuki coming into the office. From the tired smiles on their faces, Ruka and Tsuzuki finished another case. "Ruka, Tsuzuki, glad to see you two back from the field."

Tsuzuki rubbed the back of his head, grinning from ear to ear. "The case was easier than we expected. We finished with time to spare so we thought about coming back to the office. Ah, we found two wandering souls and managed to bring them in."

"I added them into the report." Ruka piped up. "One of the retrieval squads took them to the right sector."

Tatsumi nodded. "Thank you for doing so. Our last reports kept key points from their cases, making a simple case all the more difficult."

All of a sudden, Tsuzuki draped himself over his sister. He put some weight on her, but Ruka kept herself up. He embraced her from behind, putting his chin on top of her head. Amused, Ruka pinched his cheek, snickering at the playful whining.

Watching Tsuzuki cling to Ruka, Tatsumi saw a different man from their partnership. A cheerful man whose smiles shined beyond comprehension. A quality that Tsuzuki shared with his older sister. Both of them had an ability to shine and bring happiness to those around them.

"No damages?" Konoe inquired.

"Nope!" Tsuzuki grinned. "I've been good. Isn't that right, Ruka?"

Ruka patted Asato's shoulder with a huge smile. "Yes, you've been great. A model partner...for me anyway."

"Ruka!"

* * *

Observing the Bureau's annual party venue, Tatsumi saw familiar faces from different sectors. He went around the vicinity, greeting the various individuals in place of their boss. Chief Konoe left for another area of the party, having seen his old rival, he didn't want to sour the atmosphere from having an argument in public. Tsuzuki informed him of the year where Konoe and his rival fought one another during their drunken stupor. A violent enough incident where their own departments employees made it a mission to keep an eye out for the other guardian.

Too bad no one recorded any evidence. During the time of the fight, video cameras were in their infant stage, rare in production, no one dared to buy one of them. Any cameras took grainy photos when action happened in the image. This left an epic tale where the older guardians retold it to the newbies to bring awareness to the tension between the two department heads.

Spending an hour around the crowds, he stopped when he heard familiar laughed. Turning to the location of the noise, he saw Tsuzuki and Ruka at the drink table. Empty flutes of champagne littered an empty section of the table.

"Asato, that's enough." Ruka removed the champagne flute from Asato's hand, setting it on the table, she began leading him away from the drinks table. Asato leaned onto her, using his weight to stop her in her tracks. "I'm cutting you off. Let's go home and rest, alright?"

"But Ruka." Tsuzuki whined, nuzzling her cheek, his alcohol ridden breath made her nose wrinkle.

"C'mon just one more, _pleaseeeee_."

"No."

"I hate you." Tsuzuki slurred, slumped over her petite frame, she somewhat deflated at his words.

Tatsumi heard Ruka responding to his declaration. "I don't care if you hate me. We're going home." Letting out a sigh, she rubbed Tsuzuki's shoulders. "Asato, I'll make you a day's worth of sweets."

Perking up through his drunkenness, Tsuzuki cheered. "You're the best! C'mon, c'mon, I can help you."

Ruka patted Asato's back. "I'm not having the fire department come into our house because you burned the macaroons. You may pipe in the filling."

* * *

In their downtime, Tatsumi learned new things about his boss. Information that he wouldn't have learned through staying in a regular guardian role. As they settled in a regular routine, Konoe used his lunch to get to know him. Konoe understood his hesitation in revealing his inner secrets, but filled the awkward silences through speaking about his sisters. All of them reincarnated and lived fulfilling lives.

From Konoe's discoveries, many guardians kept a close eye on their living relatives in their free time. Whenever these people died, the guardians in question went to greet them, sharing one last embrace before being informed of the different aspects of the afterlife. These meetings brought an element of closure for a guardian. Many of who, died early enough where their mind wandered back to their families.

Tatsumi understood their feelings, but he found himself missing no one in the living world. His parents died before him and his death came during an inopportune time. He regretted having accomplished little before he died.

During one such leisure afternoon, Tatsumi heard the teasing in Konoe's voice. "I hear that you have an interest in my Ru-chan." Konoe set down the small teapot into a coaster after he poured himself a cup. "I have to say, you have to get past Tsuzuki and I, first."

Tatsumi's face warmed up at the implication. "Chief, I'm not-"

"I know Ru-chan is older in age, but she's young in appearance." Exuding a peaceful aura, Konoe slurped his tea. His favorite blend still circulated in the current time, always a pick me up. "I think you have a chance if you proposition a date."

"Chief, please, I'm not interested in Ruka-san. She's a kind woman, but I never shown any indication of wanting to ask her on a date." Tatsumi rubbed his temples. "Tsuzuki _started_ that rumor when we were _partners_."

"Oh I know, he told me." Konoe chuckled. "I just love seeing your reaction to the rumor."

* * *

As the secretary of the Summons Section, Tatsumi learned different lessons from the numerous guardians who passed through the halls. In a way, he usurped Chief Konoe's position as head of the Summons Section, but kept the label as secretary tacked on. He enjoyed handling everything behind the scenes. The Chief gave him leeway in how to the handle the budget on the department and stepped in on those rare occasions.

Despite his strict ways, many people saw the benefit of his ways and some complained out of hearing range. Not one to ignore the comments, he simply made their afterlives a misery. At least, they had the decency not to do so in his presence.

He held the strings in this whole department after all.

During his sting as a guardian and a secretary, he gained a fair amount of friends through his job. The main ones came in the form of the infamous Tsuzuki siblings. Ruka and Tsuzuki never failed to bring something interesting to his day. Although, everyone feared the outcome of the department when Ruka and Tsuzuki parted ways after a few decades.

Nothing too bad happened.

To the dismay of the Chief, the bills for the damages increased once again.

Thinking back, he didn't regret taking Ruka's _recommendation_ for the post. Her subtle maneuvering helped secure him a position where he flourished under his master and Konoe's tutelage. He did well enough on the field, but he enjoyed secretarial life even better.

For the first time in years, he fulfilled the previous empty void of incompleteness in his soul.

"Seiichiro-san!"

Tatsumi turned his gaze onto Ruka, her beaming smile prompted one of his own. "Ruka-san. I see you're fairing well." He gazed beyond her, noticing Tsuzuki and Kurosaki standing a fair distance away. Tsuzuki waggled his eyebrows while Hisoka nudged Tsuzuki with his elbow.

"We're asking you in advance this time. Do you want to come with us on vacation?"

Tatsumi blinked in surprise. "Ah...when is your vacation?"

"In two months." Ruka grinned. "Plenty of time for you to decide whether or not you want to give us an excuse."

"I do not provide any old excuses." Tatsumi used the heel of his hand to push his glasses over the bridge of his nose. "I simply have too much work to do in the office. I cannot take leisure time."

Ruka hummed. "I can always ask the Chief. He's always complaining about your overtime habits. You know what, I'll do just that!"

"Now, wait just one moment, Ruka-san." Tatsumi intervened. "I may not take time off, but I have been meaning to do so." Ruka tilted her head to the side. "Where are you planning on visiting for vacation?"

"Hmm...we haven't decided yet. Last year, we went to Okinawa for old times sake." Ruka informed him. "Although, Kurosaki-kun hasn't visited England before. Better yet, he hasn't vacationed outside of the country before."

"I see."

"In any case, we're deciding this week. We never plan a vacation before covering all of our bases." Ruka assured him. "Don't worry. We think of everything when we travel. I promise, we won't have any problems if you decide to tag along."

Tatsumi's lips quirked up, fondness laced his tone when he informed her. "I'll hold you up to that promise, Ruka-san."


End file.
